The Tamesis
During a recent high-stress period in my life, I had been experiencing mild nausea. Unwilling to make a complete lifestyle change, I decided I needed an easy way to find some balance. Thanks to the mysterious workings of the Instagram algorithm, I stumbled upon ear seeding.
What is Suibo?
If you’ve ever seen a celebrity or wellness creator wearing a stack of strategically placed, minimalist-looking gold studs on their earlobes, then you’ve probably seen an ear seed. Originating from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), auricular acupuncture is a form of auricular acupuncture, a treatment method that uses acupressure techniques on the ears.
Made from 24-karat gold, plastic, herbs and other materials, these tiny seeds are placed on specific pressure points on the ear to stimulate healing and balance.
How to practice sowing?
I began my ear-seeding experience after ordering a set of planters online and having three specific concerns on my mind: anxiety caused by homesickness, constant nausea, and the inevitable bloating that follows a lot of booze and bread.
While the application itself was simple (the seeds I used had medical-grade adhesive on the back for easier application), I quickly learned that the results all depend on where you place them. “In Chinese medicine, there’s an ear reflex map, and your ears actually reflect every system and organ in your body,” Ava Lee, founder of Korean beauty brand By Ava, previously told us Fashion. “You have all these different pressure points, and you can stimulate them with acupuncture or ear seeds.”
Before I called myself the architect of the auricle, I spent three full days staring at my own ears through a magnifying glass and delving into Chinese medicine charts. Like other Gen Z kids trying new things, I turned to YouTube and spent hours cross-referencing grainy diagrams that looked less like anatomy and more like pirate treasure maps. Once I convinced myself where to put these little buttons, I would gently press on the seeds to “activate” them when I felt anxious.
This is “thought to support the regulation of energy flow and help maintain internal balance,” says Dr. Rumi Beramji, head of the acupuncture clinic at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai.
Although I chose the DIY approach, I still recommend meeting with an acupuncturist to pinpoint the unique topography of your ear and target your body’s issues.
What are the benefits of sowing?
The results weren’t immediate or even particularly dramatic, but there was a definite, subtle shift. After a month of consistent wearing, my nervous system finally felt calmer. The jagged edges of my daily stress were smoothed out. My nausea didn’t completely go away, but it became a background buzz rather than a focus. Even the bloating went away; instead of feeling like a balloon was about to burst, I felt a strange, newfound sense of calm. It makes me feel like I’m inhabiting my body rather than just managing its complaints.
Who should try ear seeding?
My month-long experiment made me realize that ear seeding can be a very effective mind-body balancing ritual. It is a complementary practice that works perfectly with traditional care, and if you consider it as part of a wider, holistic framework, long-term use of it may provide long-term benefits.
If you’re looking for a gentle bridge between traditional healing and a rather aesthetically pleasing wellness trend, this might be just the thing for you—just make sure you let a professional show you the map first.
